Using the category import/export spreadsheet feature

Purpose and scope

There are a number of ways that you can access the category import / export spreadsheet feature to import and export Categories and the Category tree:

Via the Import / Export feature found under Catalogue
Using the Import and Export buttons on the the categories listing screen.

The purpose of this article is to provide a step by step guide on using the category import & export spreadsheet feature.

Step by step

Step 1: Log into Management Interface

Log in

Log into Management Interface using your username and password. This opens the dashboard of your Management Interface.

Action 1: Open Product Export to export a customized set of fields relating to your category tree

Open

The Product Export feature gives you flexibility to export a customized set of fields. Using this feature, you can specify that you wish to export your category tree. Note that you must include Category Tree to export your category data.

There are two ways of opening this feature:

Open Import & Export from the left side menu, select the Export tab and click Custom Export.
Open Categories from the left side menu, select the download icon to the right of any category.

Using either option opens the Product Export screen.

Follow the step by step guide in Using custom product exports to export your category tree.

Action 2: Export spreadsheet of Categories or Category Tree

Export

Click Categories on the left side menu. This opens the category listing screen.
Click Export on the top right of your screen.
Select from the drop-down menu:
- Categories to download a spreadsheet of the categories,
- Category Tree to download a spreadsheet of the category tree.

This downloads a copy of the data you have selected as a spreadsheet.

Update

Open the downloaded spreadsheet. This has a specific format, as follows:

Column name	Code	Name	Brand	Range	Category Tree
Column description	Product code / SKU	Product name	Parent category in simple category tree	Child category in simple category tree	Existing category in category tree

Update spreadsheet as required.

Key points

We support two different ways of curating your category tree:
- Standard category tree, where you can create multiple parents and children categories. Useful if you have a large range of products, and you want to add products to many categories.
- Simple category tree, where you create a single parent with multiple children categories. Useful if your product catalogue consists of brands and models.
The spreadsheet has a pre-determined format, which must be used. If not, your categories may not import correctly. Read our troubleshooting guide on How is the category tree structured and how do I manage it? for some tips.

Save your spreadsheet.

Action 3: Import updated spreadsheet

Import

Return to the category listing screen
Click Import on the top right of the screen.
Click Select Category Spreadsheet, locate your file and click Submit. this uploads the selected spreadsheet.

Key points

Changes made to your category tree are visible immediately in WebShop.
The spreadsheet has a pre-determined format, which must be used. If not, your categories may not import correctly. Read our troubleshooting guide on How is the category tree structured and how do I manage it? for some tips.